This invention relates to an improved lever-type connector in which connectors are connected together through leverage, and more particularly to a lever-type connector that is expandable for maximum leverage and contractable for compact storage.
A connector of this type has an advantage that the connection and disconnection can be effected with a small force, and this concept has been applied particularly to multi-pole connectors. Its basic principle is based on the action of a lever, and a conventional construction disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 4-62772 is broadly shown in FIGS. 10(A)-(D).
In FIG. 10(A)-(D), a female connector housing 1 in which female terminals are to be accommodated and a male connector housing 2 in which male terminals are to be accommodated are shown. The female connector housing 1 can be inserted into the male connector housing 2. The male connector housing 2 has a lever 3 with cam grooves 3a mounted so as to be pivotable about support shafts 2a. On the female connector housing 1 side are cam follower projections 4a. The cam follower projections 4a are arranged on a cover 4 that is to be put on the female connector housing 1.
The operation of connecting both connector housings 1, 2 is as follows. As shown in FIG. 10 (B), the cam follower projections 4a on the cover 4 mounted on the female connector housing I are inserted into the cam grooves 3a on the lever 3, respectively. The lever 3 is turned in a direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 10(B) through the position shown in FIG. 10 (C) to that shown in FIG. 10(D). As a result, the cam follower projections 4a and hence the cover 4 are pressed downward by the action of the cams through the cam grooves 3a as viewed in FIG. 10 (D). This allows terminals in both connectors to be connected against their mechanical inserting resistance, eventually causing the female connector housing 1 to be inserted into the male connector housing 2 completely.
In the connector of this type, the connector housings are displaced through leverage using the lever 3. Therefore, for connecting the connector housings with a small operating force while surpassing the mechanical inserting resistance of the terminals, a longer lever 3 is preferable. However, if the lever 3 is too long, the entire structure of the connector becomes large, which entails a large mounting space. To overcome this problem, the conventional connector is designed as compact as possible at the sacrifice of the pivotal movement and leverage of the lever.